Probate Marketing

[Matthew Mucker]

For a while last year I tried marketing to the probate market. I hired a local to go down to the courthouse once a week and do research for me and sent a letter to the person who had applied for probate.

I didn't have much luck, and given the expense I stopped this strategy.

I do think that probate could be a valuable source of deals. I'm curious to know what other successful probate marketers do, particularly with how and when to contact the PR. I suspect that contacting the PR within a week of the probate filing may not have been the best approach. I also wonder if multiple contacts would have been more beneficial.

I'd appreciate hearing how others in this business are approaching the potential sellers.

[Timothy Rogers]

Gary,

I subscribe to a service locally in the DFW area that provides my probate leads. When I receive the leads from the service they are month behind. For instance, I got my January leads in the month of February. So, I pick the leads in the area I am focusing on and mail letters to those executors. I am late to the party when I send the letter, because the executor has already received several letters. I guess those letters are from people that have been hanging out at the courthouse doing their searches. I have learned when dealing with probate that it is not about who is first, but about who the executor feels that is sincere and trustworthy.